Motorists and passengers in Masaka district are beginning to feel the pinch as fuel prices rise due to the fuel shortage that hit the country this week. A liter of petrol in Masaka town has risen from UGX 3800 to UGX 6000 in some places. Diesel prices are holding at UGX 3100 and UGX 3220 respectively. Several petrol stations have also reportedly run dry. Affected are Total Masaka and Nyendo, Petrol Kyabakuza trading center, Kobil and Oilibya located at Kijabwemi along Masaka Mbarara highway.
Transport costs in Masaka have also shot up. Kennedy Wagubulizi, the deputy chairperson of Ssendikwanawa boda boda stage in Masaka town, said that they have been forced to revise transport fees to various places around Masaka town and its outskirts. He said that for passenger to board to Nyendo, Kijabwemi, Kyabakuza, Kimanya, Gayaza and Kirimya among other places has to part with between UGX 1000 and UGX 1500 up from UGX 500 and UGX 700 last week.
Taxi operators at Kyotera stage have also hiked transport fares from UGX 4000 to UGX 5500 to Kyotera and Rakai as transport fares to Kampala has also been revised. A Kobil fuel station manager accused some stations of profiting from the shortage. Kobil manager Henry Oundo alleged that some stations are hording fuel to hike their prices.
Meanwhile Shell Buddu was reaping big from the fuel shortage as motorists and drivers queued up for hours outside the filling station. Nasula Stone, a supervisor at the petrol station, said that they have tried to maintain their original fuel prices with Shell selling at UGX 3840. compared to other petrol stations. Nasula claimed that their sales had risen from 2000 liters of petrol daily to 8000 liters of petrol in the last two days.
